Brainwashed
by Lokio
Summary: Was brainwashing possible? Shinichi can't help but wonder, not that it really mattered. If he was brainwashed by this Magician then who was he to complain? KaiShin/ShinKai Ch.5: "I assume you have a good reason for breaking into my house like this, KID." "Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps I just wanted to see your cute sleeping face, Tantei-kun."
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Brainwashed

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito.

**Pairing: **KaitoxShinichi

**Rating: **T (May or may not change in the future)

**Summary: **Was brainwashing possible? Shinichi can't help but wonder, not that it really mattered. If he was brainwashed by this Magician then who was he to complain?

* * *

Was brainwashing possible? Shinichi couldn't help but wonder. And the more he thought about it the more it seemed plausible. It was also the only explanation he could think of that made the scene in front of his eyes remotely believable.

The Magician in the Moonlight's heist had started only five minutes ago but it had already degraded into pure chaos. Pink glitter, glue, an assortment of ribbons and several bucket loads of confetti covered both the room and it's occupants from top to bottom.

Even Hakuba was wrapped tightly from head to toe in a lovely pink ribbon with a matching bow atop his head.

The only ones that had managed to avoid the chaos were himself and Ginzo Nakamori who stood next to him. While Shinichi had slipped out of the room only seconds before to avoid the explosion, Nakamori was purely coincidental. By a stroke of luck the inspector had stepped into the hall seconds before the explosion happened.

Now the two were staring into the room, with it's now empty glass case, watching as the police tried to free themselves from the mess as well as each other. It was so unbelievable and yet so common of a scene that Shinichi found himself barking out a laugh in exasperation. While the detective usually tried not to insult the poor Nakamori and his task force, at least while he was in their presence, he really couldn't help himself.

Beside him, red faced and twitching, Nakamori suddenly bellowed, "KIIIIID!"

The inspector then stormed into the room yelling and shouting at his men, even helping a few of them free themselves. Shinichi merely shook his head, mirth behind his azure eyes, and walked away. Someone had to get the stolen jewel back after all.

The KID task force clearly had to have been brainwashed by the thief, he mused to himself. No one could be this incompetent. Yet KID had them dancing to his tune like puppets for a performance. Which is exactly what they were. KID was nothing but a showman when it came down to his heists. They made his fans happy and, admittedly, Shinichi happy as well. Even during his time as Conan.

The no-one-gets-hurt rule KID had gave Shinichi a chance to battle his intellect against the thief's as well as take a break from his job as a detective. Shinichi had actually come to like and maybe even respect him. While stealing was against the law, one of the reasons why he felt obligated to show up to the heist, the Magician always returned what he stole. The detective didn't know what the thief was searching for and, pure curiosity aside, he didn't really _need_ to know nor did he really _care_.

The heists were, for the most part, actually fun and Shinichi needed a bit of that in his life. Not that he'd openly admit it. _Does that mean I am brainwashed as well? _Blinking at the thought the detective came to a stop in front of the door to the roof, his breathing slightly heavy from his dash up the stairs.

The detective's lips suddenly curled into a thoughtful smile before fading into a slight smirk. He reached out, pushed open the door and stepped onto the roof where a white figure turned his head slightly. The shadowed face of Kaitou KID slowly split into a wild grin upon seeing his favorite detective.

If Shinichi was indeed brainwashed by this Magician then who was he to complain?

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I've never done any writing for the DC/MK fandom, let alone any serious writing for Fanfiction, but I decided to give it a shot. The inspiration for this is the song Brainwash by Simon Curtis. It will eventually lead into KaiShin/ShinKai if I end up continuing. Feedback would be wonderful since I am rather nervous about all of this. Thank you for reading! And I hope you enjoy!

I also apologize for the shortness! XD;


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito

* * *

The spring night was colder than usual for the time of year and Shinichi hunched his shoulders as he pulled the collar of his jacket closer together. From his spot at the door way he could see KID standing near the roof's edge, one arm extended towards the moon with the stone tucked between pointer finger and thumb. It was something KID did every time he stole a gem. Why? Shinichi didn't know for certain. But for as long as he could remember it was just something that KID did.

KID was called the _Moonlight_ Magician after all. Maybe it was some sort of secret ritual or a way to show respect to the gem. The detective had given up trying to figure that question out a long time ago, filed away with the list of things that were considered unimportant when it came to KID. What KID did was KID's business, as long as he returned the gem anyways.

In fact the police were surprised at KID's choice of target for the heist. The gem that he picked was a simple nondescript stone called Cherry's Kiss; a natural spinel type of gemstone. It wasn't very big, roughly the size of almond shell, and had been molded into the shape of a cherry blossom petal before it was fitted to a silver chain. To match it's name the stone had a soft pink hue.

The real kicker was that the jewel didn't belong to anyone important. To no one rich. It had been a donation to the museum along with other pink jewelry, in light of the Cherry Blossom festival that was coming up soon. Normally KID chased after items with a history and a lore behind them. There were still at least a couple dozen famous lore related gems, that Shinichi knew of, that he had yet to steal. So why was he going after such simple jewels?

Shinichi released the handle on the door which shut with a click; a sound that seemed quite loud in the empty expanse that was the roof.

It caused the Magician to turn his head and Shinichi felt a chill race up his spine as he watched the grin spread across his face.

"Tantei-Kun!"

"KID."

"Aren't you as exciting as ever Tantei-kun?" KID chirped teasingly at the others greeting.

Ignoring the jab with a soft snort, Shinichi wasted no time in crossing the gap between the two to stand beside the thief. The detective then held out a hand expectantly.

KID lowered his arm, "Getting right down to business, ne Tantei-kun?"

"You ended the heist rather quickly tonight KID. I figured you had something more important to do than waste time on something like that." Shinichi remarked dryly.

It was true that KID's heist was shorter than normal. Usually there was an amazing chase filled with the usual bells, whistles, flukes and dummies. Tonight KID had wasted no time in making sure his pursuer's were out of commission from the start before escaping. It baffled the detective.

In a puff of smoke the necklace disappeared from KID's palm, much to the detective's chagrin. He then placed the empty hand to his chest and stepped back as if hurt, "You wound me! And here I was just hoping for some extra alone time with my favorite detective."

Shinichi leveled a long deadpan stare at the thief, "Yea right."

"You don't believe me?"

"I don't."

KID laughed at that. A soft, light and completely honest kind of laughter. One that wasn't hidden behind those famous masks the thief was known for wearing. Shinichi found himself looking down at his feet in an attempt to hide the smile that pulled at his lips. It was a sound he thought KID didn't make enough during the four years they had known each other, even though Kudou Shinichi had only been going to KID's heists for two years.

Oh yes, KID knew all about the detective's secret of being Conan. He had even confronted Shinichi about it after the first year of seeing the faux child at his heists. There was a bit of tension between the duo after that but much to his relief he had come to realize that KID had no intention of revealing the secret to anyone.

In turn KID ended up revealing a secret of his own. Shinichi wasn't sure what had compelled the thief to do it. Maybe it was to put them on an even playing field or perhaps it was to get the detective to trust him. In the end he had learned a bit about the thief and his past.

Mainly the fact that KID was trying to get revenge for his father, the original Kaitou KID, who was murdered by a black organization when he refused to do what they asked. Shinichi wasn't sure if the thief was knowingly giving away information that could lead to the detective finding out his identity. If he did... then why did he do it on purpose? It was the kind of information that the detective had mixed feelings about and was unsure about what to do with it.

Ultimately the two had come to a silent agreement. KID would never reveal his secret and Shinichi wouldn't arrest the thief as long as he returned what had been stolen. Over time a bond of friendly rivalry had formed between them. One of understanding why they both did what they did but neither really questioning why. It was a moment that had turned both Shinichi's and KID's worlds upside down, but in a good way.

Even after the B.O had been taken down upon Shinichi's return to his original body two years ago, KID continued to steal. Whatever he was searching for was important enough that it could not be left alone.

"To be honest, my dear detective, I am not lying. I really wanted to spend more time with you."

Shinichi lifted his gaze back up at the remark, shocked to find that KID had closed the distance between them while he wasn't paying attention. They were practically nose to nose, the thief's arms draped over the detective's shoulders as a sole indigo eye locked with a pair of azure blue.

"K-KID...!" Shinichi tried to scold him, flushing at the squeaky crack his voice made.

Despite the clearly affronted expression his favorite detective wore, KID ignored the lame attempt at a reprimand and shifted even closer. The movement caused the detective to become very aware of exactly how close the thief was to him, their position and the distance between their faces. It was the perfect range for a quick kiss... wait,_ kiss_? Shinichi's body went rigid at the idea. What did kissing have to do with this sudden invasion into personal space?!

Azure eyes flitted down to look at the thief's lips on impulse before darting back up to the others eyes. Shinichi soon realized his mistake as the Magician flashed him a playful, _all too knowing_, smile. The detective gave a small gulp but to his surprise, and perhaps slight disappointment, the Magician moved away.

"Awww, It matches the color of your cheeks Tantei-kun~" KID said in a sing-song voice.

A distracted Shinichi didn't fully comprehend what the Magician meant at first, giving him a blank look. KID clicked his tongue and tapped at his own chest with a finger causing the detective to look down. Hanging from his neck and nestled against the folds of his white shirt was Cherry's kiss. When had KID...?

"I wish you wouldn't do things like that!" He huffed, cheeks darkening more as he fumbled with the clasp although there was very little venom in his voice.

One of KID's eyebrows rose, humor filling his voice as he spoke, "Why? Were you expecting something else?"

Shinichi sputtered, "N-no! Why would I?!"

KID shrugged his shoulders innocently as if he didn't know what the detective was talking about. Shinichi opened his mouth to ridicule the thief farther, especially about the invasion of personal space but was interrupted by the sudden shouting and pounding of feet on stairs.

"Ah... It looks like it is time for me to finally make my exit."

KID turned to face Shinichi once more and made an extravagant bow while producing a red rose for his companion, "Until next time my lovely Tantei-kun."

Shinichi stared at the flower with an unreadable expression before taking it just as the door flew open. Nakamori, Hakuba and the KID task force had finally appeared in their glittery, gooey, pink glory.

The detective noted with a bit of humor that Nakamori, who was unscathed before, now had a fair amount of glue and glitter on his person. A by product of helping his men free themselves no doubt.

The rustle of a cape drew the detective's eyes back to the Phantom Thief who now stood on the edge of the roof, "So glad to see you were able to free yourselves from my trap, Inspector! Sadly you are too late and I must bid you a good night." With that the magician fell backwards disappearing over the edge.

While Shinichi knew KID would be fine, it didn't stop him from looking over the side in apprehension only to see the white wings of the thief's glider spring open and disappear among the buildings. With a muted sigh of relief the detective turned away from the street below as Nakamori exploded into a stream of loudly creative curses directed after the thief.

Shinichi looked down at the thorn free red rose in his hand, twirling it idly between his fingers. He didn't notice the pointed look Hakuba was giving him.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** OKAY! SO! I went and completely butchered my previous chapter two and remodeled it into more of what I was originally aiming for. I tried to keep a bit of the air of romance while still staying in Shinichi's somewhat romantic dense point of view. Over all, I am liking this version much better. I hope you all do to

The Intention of the story is supposed to be done 90% from Shinichi's point of view as to coincide with the song inspiration. A tale of how Shinichi falls in love with KID as if he was being BRAINWASHED. (Hence the title). I apologize once more for any inconvenience this might cause for those who have read the second chapter. Hopefully you'll forgive me!

As for the question about their ages, my impression was that they are 1 year apart and Kaito became KID no more than maybe 6months before Shinichi got shrunk. Known each other for 4 years... Therefore Kaito is 21 which makes Shinichi 20.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito.

* * *

Shinichi found himself waking up the next morning to the melodic ringing and vibrating of his cellphone as it danced across his night stand. With a groan the man buried his head under his pillow in hopes to tune out the noise and go back to sleep. It wasn't long before the phone stopped and he breathed a sigh of relief as he burrowed himself back under the covers in an attempt to go back to sleep.

Normally he would answer his phone in case it was something important but today was Saturday. What did that have to do with anything? Well it was one of the few days Shinichi actually had off. Like off, off. No detective work and no classes at the university.

As the detective started to doze once more, the phone once again blared to life. Irritation dripping from every pore the man sat up in defeat and snatched up the annoying device. He stared at the caller ID before holding the phone up to his ear and said, with an attempt to sound cheery, "Morning Ran."

"Shinichi! Geez, I thought you'd never answer!" Was Ran's prompt and all too loud reply.

"Sorry. I was enjoying that thing called sleep. I recall you saying I never get enough of it."

There was a moment of silence after the sarcastic reply and Shinichi had an easy time imagining the woman's expression on the other end.

"Maybe if you stopped working into the early hours of the morning you wouldn't have to sleep in." The detective could detect a small amount of irritation in his friend's voice.

He smiled before saying more gently, "Yes, I know. I am sure I'll learn eventually if you keep reminding me about it..."

"As if! You won't see me holding my breath you workaholic." A short huff followed but Shinichi was glad to note that the irritation was gone. "Actually Shinichi, I was wondering if you'd like to go to the movies with me and a few people from my class. That new action romance movie is supposed to be really good I hear."

Shinichi swallowed the groan in his throat and flopped back in his bed, tucking his free arm behind his head. Of course Ran would want to drag him somewhere. She couldn't just call for conversations sake. Maybe he could get out of it...

"I am not sure I can make it."

"Why not?"

"Because I have work..." He started lamely.

"Shinichi, don't even try to weasel out of this. You and I both know that isn't true. It is Saturday!"

An eye brow twitched. Leave it to Ran to always remember what Saturdays meant.

It was about a year ago when Inspector Megure had made Shinichi promise to spend at least once a day a week with his nose NOT buried in cases or chasing criminals. The now college detective had agreed, reluctantly, to spend Saturdays doing just that. It was later when he realized that Saturday was also a day he didn't have any classes at the university.

At first the detective didn't like being forced to take a break but he had come to enjoy the free time more than he thought. More often than not he would find himself sleeping in during the mornings before spending the afternoon reading some of his favorite novels or watching/practicing soccer. Sometimes he was dragged out the door by Ran or Hattori to spend some quality time with living breathing people, as they put it.

Shinichi knew his two friends were usually right in the regard that he spent way too much time in work but he thought he spent plenty of time around people. Granted they were police or his classmates but they were alive and breathing. That is what counted, right?

Wrong.

Ran or Hattori didn't see it that way and began a routine of taking Shinichi out to parties and other events for socializing at least two weekends a month. Even then it was usually Ran since Hattori could only visit every so often from Osaka.

It actually had been a bit of a surprise to the detective when she had agreed to the idea. He had expected the woman to hate him forever after all he had done to her. Even before he became Conan, Shinichi seemed to favor putting cases before his love for Ran. And while she didn't seem to mind too much and had no problems waiting, his disappearance didn't make it better. It in fact made it worse, much worse. It also didn't help that his two year stint as Conan gave Shinichi a perfect view of how he was slowly breaking her heart.

It was no shocker that after he returned and told her about everything that had happened, Conan included, she refused to speak to him. The soft and emotional verbal lashing was worse than the resounding slap he had received that day.

The two didn't speak to each other for several months, despite Shinichi's attempts to call every so often. It took almost a full year before he found Ran standing on his door saying that she still wanted to be friends. Shinichi had been filled with relief and all to happy to accept. It had taken time but Ran wasn't one to hold a grudge forever; she was that kind of wonderful woman.

Even so that extra year apart made it all too apparent that they didn't have the connection they did previously. The attraction was gone and even though they still technically loved and cared about each other, it had become more of a family feeling.

On top of that there was still a barely palpable tension between them as Ran slowly started to put her trust back into Shinichi but he wasn't in a rush. The detective was glad to have his friend, his sister, back even if neither of them thought he fully deserved it and he wanted to prove that she wasn't making a mistake by doing so.

"Shinichi? Shinichi are you listening to me?"

Shinichi blinked, realizing he had started to tune out his friend and quickly spoke with an apologetic tone, "Yes yes. I hear you, sorry. What time was the movie?"

It was easier to just agree than have his arm twisted into going, literally and figuratively.

"At two thirty." There was a happy and excited lilt to her voice, "I'll come by at noon that way we can grab a bite to eat beforehand"

"Okay. See you then." A click and he tossed the phone back onto the stand.

The detective glanced towards his clock; it was nine ante miridiem. He had three hours to himself before Ran showed up. Maybe he could get a few chapters in his book during that time but first he needed a shower and some coffee.

Only once he was clean and dressed with a large mug of blacker than black coffee in his hand did Shinichi feel a bit more awake and alive. In his left hand was the news paper which he was giving a cursory sweep as he made his way into the library. He took a long swing of his coffee and glanced up from the paper, pausing as azure eyes spotted the single red rose tucked inside a slender vase that sat on the corner of a desk.

_"Until next time my lovely Tantei-kun."_

Eyes barely widened as the familiar voice rang in his head, causing him to blush and his heart suddenly skip a beat in his chest. It also sent any thoughts of reading to pass the time out the window. Shinichi had completely forgotten what had happened at the end of Kaitou KID's heist last night.

He set down the forgotten paper and coffee mug, picked the flower from the vase and took a seat in a rather large leather chair. With his legs crossed neatly before him Shinichi leaned back and raised the rose towards the lights overhead as if the light could reveal what secrets the flower, and KID, were hiding.

Eyes narrowed in intense scrutiny before closing and the rose was tossed onto scattered papers that littered the desk. It was a completely normal, nothing out of the ordinary red rose. Nothing stood out to make it seem more special than the rest he had seen so why did it bother him? Why did he feel like it held an important riddle for him to solve?

It wasn't the first time he had received a rose from KID. In fact the Magician had given him several over the years. They had started out white but upon his return to adulthood, they had changed to pink. Last night they changed to Red.

Now Shinichi wasn't a complete idiot. He didn't have to know a whole lot about flower meanings to know what red roses implied. His father had often given such flowers to his mother several times before. Red was a clear representation of love or a form of love for someone, while White meant purity and Pink was usually used for admiration / affection.

White and pink he could understand. But Red? What exactly was KID implying by giving him red roses? If anything was for certain it was that KID was trying to tell him something.

In fact, everything that happened last night from the short heist to the returning of the gem and even the rose color were different from the Magician's usual antics.

Would it be so far fetched to think that KID was teasing him about his lack of a love life?

Shinichi's expression deadpanned at the thought and he seriously doubted that KID would pull such an unsavory prank just to tease the detective. It wasn't his style. Still the only other possible explanation he could think of was that KID was trying to say he had certain feelings for Shinichi.

His face became red as a tomato at the idea and he quickly started to push the thought back into the far reaches of his mind.

_No_, he thought vehemently, _There is a completely logical reason that doesn't involve such silly things romance OR teasing. Right?_

What it was Shinichi didn't know nor did he have time to think more about it as the sudden knock and ringing of a doorbell surprised the detective enough to go flying from his seat, eyes wide as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Was it really noon already?

Breathing deep he tried to calm his racing heart and hoped his face wasn't as red as he thought it was. He placed the rose back into the vase and quickly left the library to grab his jacket. Shinichi had other things to do and think about like going to the movies with Ran, than a silly thief who was a mystery in a mystery.

* * *

Hakuba Saguru's impression of Kudou Shinichi was one that was mixed in many ways. Truthfully, the blonde rather liked the brunette and they got along relatively well, the fact of them both being detectives, intelligent and Sherlock Holmes fans definitely helped.

Despite all that their first meeting had been anything but friendly. At the time Hakuba had instantly realized the striking similarities between him and his number one suspect, Kuroba Kaito. Not knowing better at the time he had believed that Kudou had been Kuroba in disguise.

It lead to a rather loud and sarcastic argument once they were alone on the roof before the start of a heist. An argument that lead to Hakuba handcuffing the said detective in order to prove that KID was Kuroba. Much to his surprise, and embarrassment, he had been proven wrong by the sudden appearance of KID. The whole situation had surprised both the thief and the two detectives.

To this day Hakuba had a hard time living that down thanks to constant reminders by Kuroba. The blonde was willing to admit his was wrong in thinking Kudou had been his classmate but he had a sneaking suspicion that something else was going on and as time passed a new theory arose.

Was Kudou an accomplice of KID?

It started when he began to notice a certain trend when it came to Kudou and the thief. The detective always seemed to escape KID's traps and tricks without issue. On top of that he also seemed to be the one to return the stolen jewels without so much as an attempt to catch the thief.

While he had no solid proof to back up such a theory he couldn't stop the idea from bouncing around inside his head. He had tried to tail Kuroba in an attempt to find some answers. It ended up being pointless since he was often spotted by the magician or Kuroba pulled a trick to vanish into the crowd.

That didn't deter him though. He just needed a new tactic or a change of target and, after last night when he had arrived on the roof with the rest of the task force to find the pair standing there with Kudou holding a red rose in hand and looking like a deer caught in headlights as KID easily made his escape, he knew just what to do.

That was the reason why Hakuba Saguru, famous detective, was standing at the corner of alley several meters behind Kudou Shinichi and his friend, Mouri Ran, on a lovely Saturday afternoon as he tailed the pair through Tokyo.

_12:45.35pm Kudou and Mouri-chan entered a small cafe for lunch._

_1:15.15pm Kudou and Mouri-chan leave cafe._

_1:35.59pm Kudou and Mouri-chan have a small disagreement over a purse. Mouri-chan wins.  
_

_2:15.33pm Kudou and Mouri-chan meet a group of friends outside a Movie Theater before going inside._

_4:10.22pm Kudou and Mouri-chan leave theater, bidding friends good bye._

_4:20.15pm Kudou and Mouri-chan stop for ice cream._

_4:45.44pm Kudou and Mouri-chan split ways to go home._

Hakuba flipped his pocket watch shut with a snap and leaned against the building in thought. So far there were no signs of Kuroba, even among the group of people the pair had met up with. Hakuba had even bought a ticket to sit in on the movie just to make sure.

Maybe he was wrong. As far as he could tell the two people had no connection what so ever, nothing to hint that they even knew each other existed. Frustrated the blonde ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Maybe the whole endeavour was pointless. Maybe he really was wrong about the whole thing.

There was only one thing left he could really do and that was confront Kudou and ask for a straight answer.

A throat being cleared next to him had Hakuba looking up with a start to see the deadpanned stare of one Kudou Shinichi staring at him.

"Is there a reason you've been tailing me all afternoon?"

* * *

Shinichi wasn't sure how long Hakuba had been following him throughout his afternoon with Ran but he had felt the feeling of being watched ever since he had left his house. The first time he had noticed the blonde it was while they were waiting for their snacks at the movie theater.

Not wanting to interrupt the atmosphere of their outing he had chosen to stay silent about it to Ran and her friends. He waited until the movie was done and they had gone their separate ways before doubling back to confront his stalker who actually seemed surprised that he was found out.

"Is there a reason you've been tailing me all afternoon?"

It was a simple question that had a simple answer. Unfortunately Hakuba was too busy gaping like a fish to give it. Shinichi waved a hand in front of the blonde's face and snapped his fingers, "Hey, Hakuba!"

The gesture snapped the older male from his trance and he quickly cleared his throat, turning a serious face towards Shinichi, "Yes."

"It had better be a good one. I don't really like being followed."

He watched as Hakuba shuffled his feet apparently trying to get his thoughts in order. Several minutes passed before the blonde raised his head, brown eyes meeting blue.

"I wanted to talk to you about KID."

"KID?" The one subject Shinichi had been able to finally stop thinking about all afternoon had once again come to his attention. His heart beat quickened but Shincihi did his best to keep a nonchalant appearance, "What about KID?"

"You are his accomplice, aren't you?"

His brain came to a halt at the words, nervousness forgotten at the stupidity of the question. "Huh?"

Had he heard right? Did Hakuba seriously think he was KID's accomplice? Before the blonde could repeat the question, Shinichi held up a hand to stop him and burst out laughing much to Hakuba's apparent chagrin.

"Where the did you get an idea such as that?!"

"From the way you two act during his heists!" Was the fervent and dead serious reply, "You always manage to escape the traps unscathed and return the gems without problem! You are either his accomplice or... or... Well, I don't know. But it is clear that KID favors you over everyone else for some reason!"

The last sentence had managed to stop Shinichi's laughter, the brunette looking at the detective with a curious expression. He then grinned cheekily, "If I didn't know any better... I'd say you were jealous that KID is playing favorites with his detectives."

The sputtering look Hakuba had was priceless.

Shinichi chuckled some more as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall for support, "Believe me, Hakuba. I can promise you that I am not KID's accomplice so you can throw that crazy notion out the window."

Hakuba was eying him warily but didn't say anything so he continued, "As for KID favoring me... I don't know the reason. I really do try to catch the thief as much as the rest of you but what can I say? He is very slippery. Sometimes I don't even notice that he had returned the jewel until his escape."

It wasn't the exact truth but it would work hopefully for the blonde detective.

Hakuba seemed to be mulling over the information before replying, "But what about last night?"

Shinichi blinked feigning ignorance, "Last night?"

"Yes. After we appeared on the roof you were holding a rose and staring at us while KID made his escape."

"Ah..." _Shit_. So the blonde had noticed that. Hakuba was staring at him intently, expecting a prompt answer and the detective was currently trying to fumble one together. He finally settled on, "I was too distracted by you guys. Exploding onto the roof still covered in that glue and glitter. If I remember right you still had part of the ribbon around you."

The blonde's face turned a bright shade of red, out of embarrassment or rage, Shinichi couldn't tell. In an attempt to smooth the ruffled feathers he smiled disarmingly, "It is the truth, Hakuba. Scouts honor."

"What about the rose?"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. Hakuba was making sure to hit all the points, "KID always gives me a flower. Haven't you noticed by now? That is KID being KID... Playing favorites as you call it."

At the new information Hakuba drew back into himself, resting a hand against his dipped chin in thought. Shinchi turned his head to look out across the street as he waited for the fellow detective to digest what he had said. He seriously hoped the blonde would realize he was being an idiot and leave him alone. Though he seriously doubted it. Hakuba was like a bloodhound. When he latched onto information about KID he couldn't be dissuaded until hard solid proof was offered. Even then it didn't completely stop him.

Just look at him chasing after that one person since high school, what was his name? Kuroba something or another. Hakuba was still adamant that the guy was KID even after all these years. Still, despite the obsessive nature, Hakuba was actually a really good detective.

After several minutes of silence passed Hakuba finally lifted his head and stepped away from the wall. Shinichi looked at him, tensing at the hard look he was being given before the blonde suddenly bowed.

"Thank you for your time Kudou. I am sorry for following you this afternoon. I just... I was so certain..."

Shinichi smiled and waved a hand, "Don't worry Hakuba. You are persistent which makes you a great detective. I am sure it was just a misunderstanding when it came to facts and theories."

Hakuba returned the smile, "Perhaps you are right..." He paused to snap open the golden pocket watch to check the time before shutting it again, "5:25.45 I must be leaving before I miss my ride back to Ekoda. If you'll excuse me." He bowed again and quickly departed.

Shinichi watched him go and only once the blonde was out of sight did he completely relax, shoulders slumping and a sigh escaping his lips. He quickly pushed away from the wall a second later and broke into a run back to his house, his mind running over the previous conversation as well as the private debate he had with himself that morning.

That English detective had brought up the idea that KID was playing favorites. He had even noticed how flustered Shinichi had been that night. Of course that was with good reason. KID had been invading his personal space. He soon found himself thinking of how the thief was pressed against to him, arms over his shoulders and the knowing smile he wore... the closeness of their faces...

He only stopped once he reached the front door, his chest heaving painfully from the excursion. The sun was setting behind him as he pressed his cheek against frame, the wood cold under his burning skin.

Was KID seriously in love with Shinichi? Better question if KID loved him... did he love KID in return?

His heart started to pound for a whole new reason. Shinichi didn't swing that way! Or at least he didn't think so. He had been in love with his childhood friend for as long as he could remember. It had never occurred to him that might have have had other... preferences. (never mind the fact that he had actually thought of kissing the thief last night)

No. The notion was absurd. He was clearly getting ahead of himself with his assumptions. A single red rose didn't mean anything. It was absurd and illogical to jump to such conclusions as love from a single_ stupid_ flower.

Shinichi clung to that excuse like a life line as he opened the door and stepped inside. Kicking off his shoes and slipping into his slippers he quickly went into the kitchen to brew himself a calming cup of coffee, fidgeting at he waited. He had a pile of cases on his desk that Megure had wanted him to work on tomorrow but it wouldn't hurt to start tonight. He just wanted to bury himself in his work and forget about everything to do with KID.

Yes. That was a perfect solution. With his new cup of coffee in hand the detective retreated into his study and the desk filled with paper, picking up a cold case he had flipped through earlier. It was one about a jewel robbery where the owner had died. No clues were left behind and it was a puzzling case. Sitting down he set to work, making notes and rereading the file.

The low thrum of an engine starting in an alley outside the building went unheard to the detective. A shadowed figure smiles behind the steering wheel before the car disappears into the night.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Chapters are slowly becoming longer and longer! Ahhh... I hope this one makes sense and the story is actually flowing correctly. I seriously hope I am not drowning you folks in useless information... I do not have a beta reader for this so it is going completely by ear with plenty of rereading.

On the upside, I've actually started prepping the chapters, finding it easier to type out a summery of how I want the story/chapter to flow then filling in all the details. It also helps with the problem of me liking a chapter then realizing it could be better after posting and tweaking it like I did with the first two chapters. It isn't fair to you readers if it the writing ends up changing every time you read it.

In any case Hakuba gets his own little section. I apologize if anything seems OOC... the characters and I are still getting acquainted.

I also want to thank everyone single one of you for the follows, favs and reviews you've given! Every single one of you are the best!

Next chapter will likely lead into Kaito's PoV.(About time right?!) ...We'll have to see how turns out!

And what is this about a stranger lurking outside Kudou-kun's house?!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito.

* * *

Every part of Kuroba Kaito's body was carried with an air of exultance as he climbed the stairs two at a time. Why? A better question would be, why not? The past couple days had been nothing but perfect for the messy haired brunette. Not only had he performed another flawless heist but he had got to spend some extra time with a certain detective. Yes. Everything had gone as planned and Kaito couldn't help but give himself a mental pat on the back.

Whistling happily the man pushed open the door to his bedroom and strode over to the large indoor aviary cage that was tucked into a corner. An array of eight or ten doves cooed happily at the man's appearance, fluttering and bobbing about in excitement. His arrival usually meant one of two things: There was food to be had or they were going to go somewhere.

This time it was the former.

Kaito set a tin pan in the center of the room and covered the bottom of it with bread crumbles. He then pulled open the cage door and stepped back as a rush of feathers emerged followed by the doves taking up perches around the room or settling floor to peck eagerly at the offered meal. One even chose to alight onto his shoulder, rubbing its head against his cheek. With a smile Kaito stroked it affectionately with a finger and took a seat on his bed to watch the birds, his thoughts drifting back to the heist.

While the police and public had been stunned by his choice of gem the truth was that it had not been his original target. Not even close. A gem such as Cherry's Kiss didn't fit any of the parameters set for Pandora. For one, it was too small. Second, the gem had been attached to a necklace and couldn't be seen through to check if it was a doublet. Sure he could have removed the frame the gem sat in but Kaito also didn't particularly enjoy returning damaged property. It wasn't how KID worked.

No. The whole heist had been planned with one thing in mind and it was not Pandora. His target had been a certain detective who was too cute for his own good.

While the heist had been Kaito's way of blatantly making his feelings known to his detective, it was hardly the beginning. No, the beginning had taken place much sooner. Like most romances it had started with a crush and he had been hard pressed to admit his growing attraction for that faux boy known as Conan Edogawa.

Now Kaito was _not_ a pedophile; He had _not_ been sexual attracted to the small body of his rival. If there had to be a label, Sapiosexual would probably be the best choice. It had been the calculating intellect that was on par with his own. The calm, self asserting manner the child's presence created and the azure eyes that had a depth unfitting for a seven year old. All that coupled with the fact that Kaito had been thwarted and almost caught by this boy on more than one occasion made the phantom thief want to know more about this Conan Edogawa. This kid who had been nicknamed: The KID Killer.

From that point onward the thief had gone out of his way to observe Conan. It had not been easy since Kaito had to be extra sneaky and even then it was probably harder than it should have been. Conan was quite perceptive of his surroundings and he kept a close eye on those who were prying too deeply into his alias' background. It was all worth it though when Kaito was finally able to put together the pieces between the boy and a certain famous detective who had gone missing. He had been nothing short of surprised; surprised and very pleased.

Knowing that Conan was Shinichi and Shinichi was Conan had made his life remarkably easier but also harder. Former being the fact he could stop secretly labeling himself as a pedo. The latter had him wondering what to do next. He had noticed that very few, if anyone at all, had known about what had happened to the Great Detective of the East.

After an internal debate Kaito had decided to reveal to the shrunken sleuth that he knew all about his... problem... and offered to be an ally, of sorts. It had taken some heavy convincing and a secret of his own but Kaito had managed to get Shinichi to see it his way and the two had settled into a Friendship-Rival-Alliance kind of limbo. Kaito thought things would get easier after that - his curiosity had been satisfied and he could move on with his new 'friend'.

As if.

His crush had only grown as the thief spent more time with the detective and started seeing him more as Shinichi rather than Conan. Funny how realizing a child was seventeen rather than seven could change opinions and views so easily. By the time Shinichi had returned to the world as an adult with the black organization down fall tucked under his belt, Kaito had, without a doubt, fallen for the man. Great. A thief falling for a detective. Opposites really do attract.

While Kaito had been greatly perturbed by this discovery at first, he came to accept it over the two years after Shinichi's return. Unfortunately Kaito also came to realize that the man was a bit dense when it came to things such as romance so he was unsure of Shinichi's own feelings. Fortunately, he was getting more confident by the day after having spent plenty of time flattering and teasing his detective just to study his reactions. Body language never lied and he knew the detective liked him even if the man wasn't completely aware of it himself.

The hard part was convincing Shinichi and that is where the heist had come in. It had set the foundation and hopefully the detective would notice. If he didn't, well... luckily Kaito didn't give up that easily.

The sudden blaring of his phone pulled Kaito from his thoughts, the man looking up with hands pausing mid shuffle - Sometime during his reflection his restless fingers had pulled out his deck of cards and began performing small tricks. He set the deck down and shoved a hand into his pocket. After wasting ten seconds digging around he removed the phone and flipped it open, "This is Kaito!"

"Kuroba."

"Hakuba?" An eyebrow lifted. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to know if you would like to go to Lunch."

Kaito blinked, wondering if he had heard that correctly. A cheeky grin crossed his face as he chirped, "Are you asking me on a date Saguru-chan?"

A moment of silence before, "...What? No!"

The magician could just see the man's face turning seven shades of red, "Oh Saguru-chan! No need to be embarrassed!"

"Damn it Kuroba! I am not. Aoko and I are going out and she wanted me to ask you if you'd like to join us." Came the flustered and rather exasperated reply.

"Aoko?" Kaito questioned as he blinked, humor fading as skepticism filled his voice. "Ehhh..." If Hakuba was inviting him chances were the man had a trick up his sleeve. Kaito had caught the detective trying to tail him more than once or twice over the past month. It was nothing new but Hakuba tended to only really do that when he was working on a hunch.

"Yes, Aoko. Something about it having been a while since the three of us hung out together." There was a touch of indifference.

Kaito rolled his eyes. Since Hakuba and Aoko were currently dating it was kind of hard to be around them without feeling like a third wheel. It wasn't like he missed hanging out with Hakuba. No way. But he did miss spending time with Aoko.

"If you are busy, that is fine. I could tell her that you had better things to do than spend time with her."

His face paled a bit and he gave a nervous laugh, "No no Hakuba. It is fine. Where and when are we meeting?" The last thing he wanted to do was deal with an angry or upset Aoko. Damn the man for using her to get him to tag along. The magician was so glad he didn't have to deal with the blonde on a daily basis anymore like back in high school. He didn't exactly hate the detective but one could only handle being accused of being a thief for so long, regardless how true it was.

"Great. We are meeting at twelve thirty at that new cafe down by the park. Don't be late." The smugness was practically dripping from Hakuba's voice.

Kaito scoffed, "Yea. Yea." He then hung up without another word. If anything the rest of the day was going to be rather interesting to say the least.

XXXX

Hakuba lowered the phone, lips curling into a sly smile. His plan was officially complete. The detective hadn't lied when he said he had a lunch date with Aoko but he also wasn't telling the complete truth either. It was on his way home after talking with Kudou that Hakuba had concocted a new plan. If he couldn't find proof by following Kuroba or Kudou separately then he would just have to get the two of them together without the other knowing.

That is right. There was going to be a fourth guest to their little outing unbeknownst to Kuroba.

Leaning back in his chair he lifted the cup of tea and turned another page in his book feeling very self confident.

* * *

Kaito stared out of the large window, chin resting in the palm of his hand and the straw to his milkshake sitting between his lips from which he slurped loudly. How did he get into this situation again? Oh yea. It was because that stupid blonde detective had tricked him into it.

The four of them - that is right, four - were sitting at a table at the small and newly opened cafe across from Ekoda park. It had a name but Kaito couldn't be bothered to remember it. He was to busy fretting over his current problem and while his poker face showed boredom, inside he was a jumble of frantic emotions with the two most prominent being irritation and excitement. Irritated because he knew Hakuba had pulled this stunt in an attempt to prove he was KID. Excited because well... Indigo eyes sent a brief glance at the person sitting next to him, one whose nose was buried in the cafe's menu.

It was Kudou - freakin' - Shinichi.

Hakuba had invited his rival and love interest to the meet up as if it was a completely natural thing to do. Maybe the man was hoping the detective could recognize him without the top hat and monocle and say something - give the half-brit that last bit of proof he needed. The blonde clearly had a death wish and Kaito was seriously tempted to grant it. That or kiss him. It was hard to choose with his current conflicting emotions.

And don't even get Kaito started on the shocking introductions he had to deal with just ten minutes earlier.

_"What the hell is this?!" Kaito had wanted to shout upon his arrival at the cafe. He had halted in his tracks when he saw the table and just who was sitting at it. His friend Aoko, that bastard Hakuba and a familiar head of brunette hair with an impeccable cowlick in the back. Two of them he had expected... The other... in his dreams maybe but certainly not here. And certainly not now. The scene had Kaito wanting to turn and walk back out, pretending as if it never happened. Unfortunately Aoko had already noticed him and was waving. Kaito returned the wave slowly as he approached the table. Poker Face! Poker Face! He chanted to himself and stopped next to the only open seat that just so happened to be next to the third guest._

_Hakuba smiled, "Kuroba. Glad you were able to make it." He waved a hand towards the brunette across from him, "I am sure you remember Kudou-san."_

_The man in question lifted his head, azure eyes widening slightly after falling over Kaito's face. They narrowed a half second later, causing Kaito's heart to jump into his throat at the expression. Alarms were blaring in his head. This was it! He was screwed! He was going to be arrested. To his surprise Shinichi merely nodded as he introduced himself, "Kudou Shinichi. You must be the Kuroba that Hakuba had confused with me that one heist a few years back. I can see why."_

_Kaito was taken aback at first but quickly returned the smile, hoping it didn't look as stressed as he felt, "The one in the same! Kuroba Kaito at your service." He gave a sweeping bow before taking a seat next to the detective,"Don't tell me he kidnapped you off the street because he mixed the two of us up again." He looked towards Hakuba with a disappointed look, forcing himself to focus on the blonde rather than the detective next to him, "Really Hakuba. I am ashamed by this."_

_That earned a soft snicker from Shinichi who hid it behind his hand as Hakuba frowned at the thief. Even Aoko giggled at her boyfriends expense._

After that everything seemed to go smoothly. The four had ordered drinks and were deciding on what to eat, although conversation was practically non existent. Hakuba and Aoko were talking as most couples do leaving both him and Shinichi in an uncomfortable silence. At least Kaito got a bit of satisfaction knowing that he wasn't the only third wheel.

Suddenly the menu in front of Aoko hit the table with a loud thwack, drawing the attention of the other three attendees as well as a few occupants seated nearby. The woman's face was twisted in a frown, her eyes leveled dangerously at the thief, "Damn it! Would you stop slurping so loudly, Bakaito?"

The man in question paused, lips still pursed over the straw before grinning sheepishly, "Sorry Ahoko. I'll be quieter."

"Geeze." Aoko scoffed and returned to her menu again. Kaito caught the smirk Hakuba was currently wearing. In return he stuck his tongue out; it was a childish gesture, yes, but Kaito couldn't help himself. Hakuba chose to ignore it and returned to the quiet conversation he had been having with his girlfriend.

He sighed before sending another glance towards Shinichi, tensing when he saw azure eyes watching him in return. The detective's expression was one the magician had grown familiar with over the years. It showed a fair amount of curiosity with narrowed eyes and a finger propped over lips that were pursed in thought. Was that a hint of a smile? It made Kaito shiver involuntarily and he wondered if the man was beginning to put the pieces together. It wouldn't surprise him if the detective knew why Hakuba had invited both of them to their lunch.

It also made Kaito more nervous. While he liked Shinichi he originally had no intention of revealing Kuroba Kaito to the detective, at least not so soon after his confession. What if the detective had already figured him out and was eagerly waiting for the chance to arrest him? So far the man had made no moves to suggest the idea had crossed his mind but the thief was ready to flee at any time, just in case.

Their gazes suddenly locked and Kaito took the chance to smile at him, even going as far as wiggling one of his eyebrows suggestively. Shinichi quickly balked at that and looked away, lifting his cup of coffee even as his cheeks dusted a faint pink. Kaito grinned to himself; Ah yes. It was fun to see his detective shift uncomfortably.

The waitress chose to arrive shortly after to take their orders. Hakuba had a simple cold cut sandwich while Aoko selected fish. Kaito of course opted for a slice of chocolate cake which made Aoko comment that cake was not meant for lunch but he waved it off; If she was having one of those stupid _finny_ things he could have cake. Shinichi elected to not order anything except a refill on his coffee. Only after the waitress returned with their orders and they started to eat did Hakuba try to strike up a conversation with his other guests - he had decided that they had enough time to stew uncomfortably in each others presence.

"So Kudou." The detective in question looked over the rim of his mug at the blonde who continued, "I heard you were taking on that robbery case that had happened over in Beika recently."

Kaito groaned inwardly and stuffed a piece of the cake into his mouth. Leave it to Hakuba to discuss work.

Aoko looked up and said, with a touch of worry, "Isn't that the one where that woman got murdered? I heard there were no clues left behind."

Shinichi set his mug down and smiled, "I wouldn't say no clues, Nakamori-san." Three sets of eyes turned towards the detective, "There was a witness who said they saw a man leaving the scene in a black suit and wearing a fedora. Although that really isn't much to go on."

Kaito suddenly choked on his cake which ended in a coughing fit and drew a concerned look from Aoko. He held up a hand with a smile to show he was fine. The thief hadn't missed the soft concern hidden under his detective's voice.

Shinichi also gave him a glance before continuing, "Also no one heard the gun shots so there is a high chance that a silencer was used. Also, it is unsure if the robbery was used to cover up the murder or if the victim, Sawashiro Masami, had walked in on it accidentally and was silenced."

At that point Kaito had tuned the conversation out and pressed a napkin over his mouth, brow furrowing as he stared absently at his half-eaten cake. It sounded like Snake and he would bet his reputation as KID on the fact that it was more about the gems rather than the murdered woman. Sawashiro... he knew that name from some where. He shifted through his thoughts before gasping out a small, "Oh!"

He turned towards Shinichi, "If I recall the Sawashiro family is famous for collecting gems and had planned to put a certain jewel on display at the museum in a months time. I heard it was a potential target of KID's next heist."

Shinichi nodded grimly, "You're correct. Unfortunately Sawashiro-san had a large collection of foreign and unique stones, and all of them were stolen."

Kaito nodded slowly as if he had expected that. There was no doubt now that it was most likely that bastard. He had noticed that Snake had been absent from his heists as of late and while he was happy that he didn't have to dodge bullets, it also unnerved him. His goal had been to keep the organization's attention fixated on him while they were searching for Pandora. It pained him to think that someone had died because they were getting desperate.

The magician had to tell Shinichi - had to warn him about Snake, but how? There was no way in hell the man could claim to know the murderer without blatantly declaring that he was KID. No. He'd have to do it in a more subtle and KID like fashion - leave a note or speak to the detective in costume, tonight if possible.

His mind made up, the thief worked on finishing the rest of his cake quickly. Only once his plate was empty did Kaito make a display of stretching as he pushed his chair back and got to his feet, "Thank you for the treat Hakuba. I'd love to stay longer and listen to more about this case but I've got a busy afternoon ahead of me so I hope you don't mind if I jet early."

Aoko blinked at his sudden declaration, turning a curious stare in his direction.

Hakuba merely raised an eyebrow, "Planning for your next heist?"

Kaito waggled a finger at the nosy blonde, "I am sure you'd like to know, wouldn't you?" A dramatic sigh, "Sadly, I have to clean my doves aviary. If you'd like you can come and help clean up bird droppings with me."

The blonde smiled loftily, "I'll pass. I would actually like to talk with Kudou some more about the case. That is if Kudou is willing to stick around."

Shinichi's gaze shifted from Kaito to stare hard at Hakuba. A quick shrug, "Fine by me. A second opinion could be helpful."

Aoko suddenly pushed her chair back, "In that case I think I'll head back home." She pulled her jacket on and gave Hakuba a quick kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow. Kaito can you give me a ride?"

Kaito nodded cheerfully before turning towards Shinichi. "And it was a pleasure to meet you Kudou." He held out his hand and with a snap produced a white rose which he deftly slipped into the lapel of the detective's jacket. He would have done red but he knew Hakuba was watching and the man didn't need anymore ammo as it was. Hopefully his performance and faith in Shinichi would turn the blonde away.

Kaito then threw his arm around Aoko's shoulders, who wasn't at all surprised by the gesture, and guided her out of the cafe while talking rather animatedly and ignoring the two sets of eyes that were burning holes between his shoulder blades.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** So my computer had died on me for a few days. Luckily, my files were saved and I just had to replace my video card. Sadly I didn't have money for a new one so I dug out an old and crappy spare I had hanging around. Gaming computer degraded into a desktop that can't even run games; my poor baby!

In any case, this is Kaito's PoV and hopefully it sheds some light on his side of things. From this point on we should be getting more into an actual non-romance under plot.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito.

* * *

Shinichi was sitting with an elbow propped up on the desk, one hand pressed over his mouth while the other tapped the keyboard. His blue eyes were glued to the screen of his laptop watching as lines upon lines of information scrolled past. Beside him sat an open manilla folder and an empty cup of coffee both being ignored in favor of his current reading.

_"You are persistent. I'll give you that Hakuba."_

_Hakuba smiled at the veiled compliment and Shinichi fought the urge to roll his eyes. The two were now alone in the cafe and the subject of why Shinichi had originally been invited to this get together was finally open to discussion. Just when he thought Hakuba couldn't get any lower._

_"I know what you are playing at Hakuba. You were hoping I would show some sort of sign that I know Kuroba-kun is KID."_

_"You can't tell me you don't see the similiarities Kudou."_

_Oh Shinichi saw them alright but he wasn't going to tell Hakuba that. Instead he sighed in exasperation, "Hakuba. All I saw was someone who looked like me and has some talent with magic tricks. Do you have any basis for your attachment to Kuroba? Other than his magical talent?"_

_In answer Hakuba reached into his jacket and removed a short rectangular object. He placed it on the table and pushed it towards his colleague who picked it up and turned it over in his hand. It was a portable flash drive._

_"What is this?" He asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"I had picked up a hair at one of KID's heists back when we were in High School."Hakuba said with a bit of smugness, "One I am sure belongs to KID himself. I ran some tests and those are my findings. I think you might find them interesting so look them over and let me know what you think."_

_Shinichi looked dubiously between the man and the flash drive in his palm before promising to do so. With an expression of relief Hakuba smiled once more and turned the conversation towards the previous robbery case._

Shinichi stopped his scrolling and sat back, rubbing his eyes as the memory faded. He couldn't deny that his interest had been piqued by the request and he had decided to glance through Hakuba's findings, if only to humor himself. What he found was actually surprising; DNA tests, notes, newspaper clippings, high school student listings of possible matches. The more he read the more he realized it was pretty solid and thorough research.

The defining factor though was the fact that in all of his research only one student matched the hair sample perfectly. That one student was none other than Kuroba Kaito.

Shinichi dragged a hand over his face and through his hair, an expression of disbelief and respect making it way onto his features.

Hakuba actually knew Kaitou KID's identity although the detective had yet to arrest the thief.

Why was that? KID must be better than he had thought - that or Hakuba really wasn't that good of a detective. Fortunately Shinichi had seen the blonde in action so he knew Hakuba had some decent skill; how else would he have figured out that KID was Kuroba?

Turning back to the documents he scanned through the detective's personal notes. Hakuba had wrote something explaining why he was having trouble using his findings as undeniable proof. Where was it... Ah here.

"Despite the DNA tests, Kuroba has alibis for several of KID's heists given by both Nakamori himself and his daughter, Aoko. In light of these alibis I've been told that the files are considered circumstantial despite the fact that Kuroba Kaito did not attend the heist in which I acquired the sample." The detective read out loud to the empty room. He scrolled down the page, skipping the rest of the blonde's commentary to find a list of possible people who could be the thief's accomplice.

Shinichi wished he could say he was surprised to find his name on there and so close to the top.

But at least it now made sense. That is why Hakuba was so intent on putting a connection between himself and Kuroba-kun. If Hakuba could prove that KID had an accomplice as well as who that accomplice was, it would most certainly put the magician behind bars.

Sitting back in his chair again the detective heaved a sigh and rested his hands behind his head as stared up at the ceiling with a lost expression. Shinichi had his own suspicions from when he met Kuroba at the cafe. They way the man acted, that smile and the rose. The fact that Shinichi had been within kissing distance of the thief on occasion it had given him the chance to glimpse a few of the man's features which, now that he thought about it, were quite similar to his own and in turn, Kuroba's.

It short it wasn't hard to connect the dots and this only confirmed them.

Kuroba was KID and KID was Kuroba. Now for the important question: What was he to do with this new information?

The first thing he should do was probably tell Hakuba that he was right. It was his job as a detective after all; Share deductions and put criminals behind bars. So why wasn't he reaching for his phone?

Did he really care that much for a silly thief? Shinichi felt his face grow hot as a blush began to creep over his skin and the detective covered his face with his hands. He did _not_ want to think about this now. The question he had asked himself the other day was still unanswered and he preferred it to remain that way. But, he couldn't deny the fact that part of him wanted to know.

Did he, Kudou Shinichi, like and possibly love Kaitou KID?

To answer that he had to know if Kaitou KID loved him - like really loved him. To know that KID wasn't just toying with the detective with all these roses and apparent favoritism. The only way he was going to get that answer was to speak to the thief himself and now that he knew KID's identity, much to his distaste, he could easily appear on the man's doorstep to question him.

So why did he recoil from the thought? _Because,_ he scolded himself, _you had promised yourself not to unmask the thief outside of a heist._

The whole situation was, more or less, a huge mess and Shinichi felt even more conflicted than he did before.

"Argh... Stupid KID." He groaned in frustration.

"Moaning my name in the darkness of your room, Tantei-kun? My my. I never pegged you as the type."

Shinichi jerked upright at the voice. No. It couldn't be. The detective whipped his chair around to look at the intruder who was leaning against the sill of the now opened window. A figure dressed from head to toe in white with a silk top hat tilted over his face and arms folded across his chest. When had he?

"You...!"

"Me." The thief agreed with a nod.

Willing his heart to slow the detective glared at him, "I assume you have a good reason for breaking into my house like this, KID."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps I just wanted to see your cute sleeping face." Came the reply.

The remark brought his previous blush back in full force and Shinichi quickly turned his chair back around to face the laptop, giving the machine his full attention, "As you can see, I am still awake so why don't you climb back out that window and fly away." He replied briskly.

There was a long moment of silence as the detective tapped on his keyboard and for a second Shinichi actually thought the thief had listened to him. There was a pang of disappointment but it was short lived.

"What are you reading, Tantei-kun?"

The voice was directly by his ear this time and Shinichi jerked to the side in surprise before scowling at the thief who was leaning over his shoulder to peer at the screen, a single gloved hand resting against the desk. Without hesitation the detective abruptly snapped shut the laptop.

"Case files." Shinichi muttered and shrank back as thief turned his head towards him. "KID... can you... ah... not be so close?"

KID watched his detective shift uncomfortably before smiling and straightened back up. He moved away from the desk and over to the bed where he sat down, "Truth be told, Tantei-kun, I am here on important business."

"And what could be so important that you have to break into my house?" Shinichi asked dubiously. Despite his attitude the detective had swiveled the chair around to face the thief.

"I am here to warn you."

"Warn me?" That got Shinichi's attention, his head perking up from it's slouched position. "Warn me about what?"

"I know that you are currently in the middle of a case revolving around the death of Sawashiro Masami-san..." KID paused when he noticed that the detective's expression didn't change, nor did the man ask as to how he came across this information. Interesting.

A hand waved for him to continue. "Anyways, your killer goes by the name of Snake, or Jackal internationally, and is a nasty fellow who isn't well known for being sneaky." A pause, "I know I most likely can't persuade you to stop chasing them so heed my words and please tread carefully."

Shinichi simply stared at the thief before his expression softened. Okay so maybe the man really did care about him. He smiled, "Alright. I promise to be careful."

The detective almost missed the tension draining from KID's shoulders as the thief hoped to his feet, clearly satisfied by the promise. "I'll hold you to that, Tantei-kun. Thank you. I shall get out of your hair now."

The thief retreated to the window and carefully hoisted himself onto the sill, managing to get a leg outside before he was stopped. Surprised he looked back to find Shinichi standing behind him, clutching the folds of his cape in one hand. His detective was staring with a hard gaze and, in the moonlight that filtered through the window, KID noticed the blush creeping on the man's cheeks.

"KID."

"Yes?"

"Do you mean it?"

The thief's head tilted to the side at the question, his poker face smile slightly visible, "I don't follow."

Shinichi's grip on the cloth tightened. Gosh, why was he doing this? Seeing the thief start to leave had him suddenly dying to know the answer to that question. To know if KID really was serious in his affections and before he knew what he was doing Shinichi had left his chair and caught a hold of the cape in an attempt to stop the man from leaving.

"Idiot." He grumbled, "You know what I am talking about. I mean... you've been paying a lot of attention to me lately. The roses and your flirting. I want to kn-" The detective bit off his sentence and blinked at the gloved hand suddenly hovering over his mouth, silencing his mini tirade of words. He looked back up at the shadowed face, eyes widening as the thief's smile turned into something a bit more soft. A bit more emotional and a feeling began to blossom in the detective's chest at the sight.

KID then produced a red rose from the same hand and tucked it behind his detective's ear, leaning in to whisper, "I mean it, Tantei-kun. Now the only question remaining is how about you?"

His lips brushed against Shinichi's cheek in a quick peck as he drew back and disappeared out of the window in a rustle of fabric leaving a motionless and gaping detective in his wake, too stunned to move.

_"How about you?"_

The words jolted his body back into motion and Shinichi quickly leaned outside but all traces of the thief were gone, leaving an empty and dark backyard. With a slight smile he stepped back inside and shut the window, making sure the lock was tightly secured.

"What about me?" Shinichi repeated softly and ran a hand through his hair before rubbing the back of his neck. "Good question KID. Good question."

The detective now had a lot to think about as he set about shutting off his laptop and cleaning up the folders. A glance towards the clock on his night stand told him that it was two in the morning - make that a lot of thinking that could wait until tomorrow. He had to meet Hakuba later that afternoon as the two were going to take another look at the crime scene and he would like to have some sleep before that encounter.

Suddenly feeling very tired the detective collapsed onto his bed, not having the energy to bother changing.

* * *

Outside Kaito was pressed against the concrete wall that made up the fence surrounding the Kudou property. He heard more than saw the window click shut and his shoulders sagged as he relaxed. _Well, well, well... _he thought with some amusement, _maybe that heist really did work after all._

Body trembling with giddy delight the magician pulled himself up and over the wall, carefully maneuvering over the iron spikes that adorned the top. He dropped silently into the street on the opposite and, after a quick glance around, started to make his way to the car he parked two streets over. Kaito was really looking forward to what the future held in terms for him and his detective.

* * *

What both the detective and thief had failed to notice was the black car parked in the alleyway on the other side of the house with one window cracked open and the lens of a zoom camera peaking out. Inside the vehicle the screen of a laptop flickered to life with a loading bar before several images appeared.

Images of KID entering and leaving the window, of Shinichi leaning outside in search of the thief and lastly, but most importantly, an image of KID planting that simple chaste kiss on the flustered detective's cheek.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **New chapter! New chapter! I hope you people enjoy it and most importantly I want to thank everyone for the reviews, follows and favs this story has received in the month it has been up. Seeing each and every one of them makes me very happy. =]


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